early xx century. at the most tragic moment in the history of russian empire, when this vast country was ravaged by war and internal political conflicts, morbid changes of the patriarchal rural country shook the very foundation of the governing powers. near the tsar's throne appears a mystical figure of rasputin, tsarina's favourite, a man of questionable origins, who befriends and tutors the young prince.
no other persona in russian history is entwined by such legend and gossip, or has commanded such domineering influence over the tsar's family. who was he? what secrets and myths surrounded him? was he an illiterate man who had fantastically enormous spiritual and physical forces and mesmerized everyone, especially ladies? was he a super-human, who healed the prince's incurable illness? whatever he was, strong and evil, handsome and terrible, godly and mystical, mysterious and powerful, everything ascribed to the inexplicable russian soul was united in rasputin. fragments of russian history - the ball at the palace, a drunken orgy in a village, war and intrigues - form together an ominous foretelling of the coming revolution, and the ensuing chaos in which the tsar's family, the russian culture, spirituality and people, millions of people, are destined to die.
a prayer in the finale brings hope of the imminent revival.
music - alexander gradskys
early xx century. at the most tragic moment in the history of russian empire, when this vast country was ravaged by war and internal political conflicts, morbid changes of the patriarchal rural country shook the very foundation of the governing powers. near the tsar's throne appears a mystical figure of rasputin, tsarina's favourite, a man of questionable origins, who befriends and tutors the young prince.
no other persona in russian history is entwined by such legend and gossip, or has commanded such domineering influence over the tsar's family. who was he? what secrets and myths surrounded him? was he an illiterate man who had fantastically enormous spiritual and physical forces and mesmerized everyone, especially ladies? was he a super-human, who healed the prince's incurable illness? whatever he was, strong and evil, handsome and terrible, godly and mystical, mysterious and powerful, everything ascribed to the inexplicable russian soul was united in rasputin. fragments of russian history - the ball at the palace, a drunken orgy in a village, war and intrigues - form together an ominous foretelling of the coming revolution, and the ensuing chaos in which the tsar's family, the russian culture, spirituality and people, millions of people, are destined to die.
a prayer in the finale brings hope of the imminent revival.
music - alexander gradskys